How do you report someone who should not own a firearm?

This is a discussion on How do you report someone who should not own a firearm? within the General Firearm Discussion forums, part of the Related Topics category; I live in a condo, and my upstairs neighbor (a renter, not owner) has a destructive addition to alcohol and Rx pills.
Last night whilst ...

How do you report someone who should not own a firearm?

I live in a condo, and my upstairs neighbor (a renter, not owner) has a destructive addition to alcohol and Rx pills.

Last night whilst battling his demons, he was making such a racket that we were justified in calling the police. When they showed up, he wouldn't open the door or respond. The fire department was called to get in. They decided that breaking in through the milk door (bldg. circa 1928) was preferable to kicking in the front door. This involved cutting a hole big enough to crawl through into the larger closet that the milk door opened into. Here's a pic of the aftermath (see below).

When they got in, they found the 'gentleman' semi-conscious on his couch surrounded by empty booze bottles and at least one Rx container. He was half naked, and apparently found it inconvenient to crawl to the bathroom to expel his bodily waste (sorry to be graphic, but we are talking #1 and #2).

He was not completely unconscious, and was able to stumble his way with some assistance down the hall, three flights of stairs, and through the atrium. We had to bleach-clean everything that he might have touched in the common areas after the ambulance carted him off.

So, this guy is going to be evicted, but since the pills were 'legal' (though how he used them was certainly not), the owner can't boot this guy out immediately. To the contrary, our renter-rights laws force the owner to give a 90-day notice!

Given the event that just happened when officers attempted to serve the eviction notice in College Station, TX, and given that this guy is clearly not of sound mind, nor free of substance abuse, I feel justified in urging authorities to restrict this guy from purchasing a weapon. I know this may sound like blasphemy, but I feel it justified... especially with the Aurora shooting so close in the rearview mirror.

So, after the long intro, here is my question: How do I go about doing this? Who should I contact? What considerations should I make before contacting anyone?

Thanks so much for any words of encouragement or guidance. DC is a great resource.

I think the authorities would agree with you, but I do not believe that they are the ones who can restrict him. Others will be generous in correcting me if I am wrong but the authority is the State and or batf officials. If he was arrested there may be things in his "file" that will keep him from getting one.

Sorry for your troubles.
Under the GCA (18 USC 922 G) two of the restrictions for persons to receive, possess, firearms are as follows:

who is an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance;

who has been adjudicated as a mental defective or has been committed to any mental institution;

Proving the first is difficult.
Getting the second is not much easier...

You could try to have him committed... some states allow for 2 people to commit someone for observation... but the regulating authority would have to make the commitment permanent and in effect under the law, and with a lawyer, he might be able to beat it.

Sorry, not much more help than that...

Could he hurt himself? Sure, and he could do it with a gun, or a knife, or in the bathtub, or out the window.... friend of the family cut himself to ribbons with kitchen knives... not just his wrists... everywhere... in the kitchen.

So, after the long intro, here is my question: How do I go about doing this? Who should I contact? What considerations should I make before contacting anyone?

Does he own any weapons right now? Do not take this the wrong way, but who are you to be a moral compass for someone with a problem. This could be a temporary position in his life, why wreck it for him. If you want to help him, contact his family. There is no need for you to muddy around in his life. If the authorities want to muddy around let them, they are paid for that. JMO

Does he own any weapons right now? Do not take this the wrong way, but who are you to be a moral compass for someone with a problem. This could be a temporary position in his life, why wreck it for him. If you want to help him, contact his family. There is no need for you to muddy around in his life. If the authorities want to muddy around let them, they are paid for that. JMO

I respect what you are saying, but it is not my moral compass that is guiding my concern. If this guy wants to hurt himself, that's his deal. This is about my safety, my family's safety, and my friends and neighbors' safety.

Temporary condition or not, this guy is dangerous. Anyone and everyone who routinely and severely compromises their cognitive capacity and physical being is a danger to themselves and others.

I don't know if he owns any firearms, is on the market for firearms, or will decide that he wants one or more in the future. BUT... I do know that he should not own them because he is a severe substance abuser.

So, I respectfully disagree with the assertion that there is no need to muddy around in his life. His life is bleeding over into mine.

I think he'll need to be convicted of some crimes first. I understand what you are feeling and you did the right thing by calling in some help for him. Sometimes I womder if we should let these addiction problems sort themselves out, unfortunately innocent people usually get sucked into the same black hole. There may be nothing you can do short of getting his family involved and they will likely take it the wrong way, he can probably do no wrong in their eyes.

I respect what you are saying, but it is not my moral compass that is guiding my concern. If this guy wants to hurt himself, that's his deal. This is about my safety, my family's safety, and my friends and neighbors' safety.

Temporary condition or not, this guy is dangerous. Anyone and everyone who routinely and severely compromises their cognitive capacity and physical being is a danger to themselves and others.

I don't know if he owns any firearms, is on the market for firearms, or will decide that he wants one or more in the future. BUT... I do know that he should not own them because he is a severe substance abuser.

So, I respectfully disagree with the assertion that there is no need to muddy around in his life. His life is bleeding over into mine.

You say he is dangerous. How? He maybe loud, rude, but has he done anything? You should prepare yourself for any situation that may be thrown your way, however, there are a lot of folks out there that are like your neighbor, they have issues, and most of the time, die with those issues. IMO unless he has done something to you or your family, it is still none of your business.

I respect what you are saying, but it is not my moral compass that is guiding my concern. If this guy wants to hurt himself, that's his deal. This is about my safety, my family's safety, and my friends and neighbors' safety.

Temporary condition or not, this guy is dangerous. Anyone and everyone who routinely and severely compromises their cognitive capacity and physical being is a danger to themselves and others.

I don't know if he owns any firearms, is on the market for firearms, or will decide that he wants one or more in the future. BUT... I do know that he should not own them because he is a severe substance abuser.

So, I respectfully disagree with the assertion that there is no need to muddy around in his life. His life is bleeding over into mine.

How many times has this been an occurrence? in your OP you make it seem like a first offense... yet, here you say "routinely". If it's routine, I would think he would have been given notice to evict prior to this incident... yet you now say you must wait the 90 days.

If you are so entrenched in the idea of getting involved with his life because it is bleeding over into yours... would you consider offering help in his more sober moments... or are you just interested in getting rid of the detritus in your life... If we are not our brother's keeper why are we tattlers.. and if we are our brother's keeper why won't we offer a hand?

It's possible that he's a vet of one war or another and his demons were earned fighting for your rights... But let's make sure he's kicked to the curb.. don't want to have to see that in my condo...

There's a whole lot you're not telling us here... and I'm sure it's because his life hasn't bothered yours until of late...

What you are suggesting is more gun control laws. This seems to counter the belief in your signature. There are already laws against convicted felons and people with a history of severe mental problems.

Now you want laws created to prevent someone owning a firearm just because they are loud & rambunctious and "MAY" do something dangerous?

If we pass laws like this NOBODY will ever be allowed to own firearms; BECAUSE- everybody does have within themselves the propensity to become violent under the right circumstances.

I just don't think we want the slope any more slippery than it already is.

You may stand a better chance of having his world encroach on yours if you instigate something trying to restrict his action based on your fears. An angry addict focused on you is not what you need in your life. Unless you are in a field such as mental health where your opinion of a situation holds merit best to let the system work.

Things gun forums have taught me:-Some people shoot guns others "run" them.
-I don't dislike Glocks but often dislike Glock owners.
-Open carry is to a handgun as bluetooth is to a cell phone!
-Simple math can deliver posts per day... some gun forum members need to get out more!!!

I live in a condo, and my upstairs neighbor (a renter, not owner) has a destructive addition to alcohol and Rx pills.

Last night whilst battling his demons, he was making such a racket that we were justified in calling the police. When they showed up, he wouldn't open the door or respond. The fire department was called to get in. They decided that breaking in through the milk door (bldg. circa 1928) was preferable to kicking in the front door. This involved cutting a hole big enough to crawl through into the larger closet that the milk door opened into. Here's a pic of the aftermath (see below).

When they got in, they found the 'gentleman' semi-conscious on his couch surrounded by empty booze bottles and at least one Rx container. He was half naked, and apparently found it inconvenient to crawl to the bathroom to expel his bodily waste (sorry to be graphic, but we are talking #1 and #2).

He was not completely unconscious, and was able to stumble his way with some assistance down the hall, three flights of stairs, and through the atrium. We had to bleach-clean everything that he might have touched in the common areas after the ambulance carted him off.

So, this guy is going to be evicted, but since the pills were 'legal' (though how he used them was certainly not), the owner can't boot this guy out immediately. To the contrary, our renter-rights laws force the owner to give a 90-day notice!

Given the event that just happened when officers attempted to serve the eviction notice in College Station, TX, and given that this guy is clearly not of sound mind, nor free of substance abuse, I feel justified in urging authorities to restrict this guy from purchasing a weapon. I know this may sound like blasphemy, but I feel it justified... especially with the Aurora shooting so close in the rearview mirror.

So, after the long intro, here is my question: How do I go about doing this? Who should I contact? What considerations should I make before contacting anyone?

Thanks so much for any words of encouragement or guidance. DC is a great resource.

edit: Forgot to mention that I learned last night that he had been hauled off in an ambulance only a couple of weeks prior... so this is not a one-off event.

Are you going to report him the DMV also? After all he MIGHT decide to drive. Waht about reporting him to the SPCA, he MIGHT decide to hurt an innocent animal. While your at it, you better report him to Childrens Welfare Services (or whatever it is called there), after all he MIGHT decide to do something to a neighborhood kid for making too much noise.

The police are aware of the problem. It is there job to handle it, not yours.

Routinely, as in I assume the guy didn't just suddenly go on a multi-day booze and pill binge with no prior history. Perhaps I'm wrong.

Dangerous, as in anyone that gets to that point of physical and mental incapacitation is dangerous because they are unable to think clearly/rationally or physically manipulate 'things' (guns, cars, knives, cigarettes, etc.) in a safe way. If he has a gun and decides to shoot himself, he may grab the thing AD through the floor and into my daughter's cranium. Or, he might decide to put a round through whoever serves him an eviction notice.

How many times has this been an occurrence? This is the first time the police were called. There was one other time that was pretty bad, but unaware of what exactly was going on, I grinned and beared it. It sounded like he was either having very rough sex with another man. Lots of moaning and crashing about - obviously a body hitting the floor. There have been a couple, less invasive disruptions, which if/when they happen again will warrant a call to the authorities, but without knowing what I know now, were written off as annoying and disruptive, but not requiring any 'intervention'.

As for the 90-day wait, well, that clock hasn't started ticking yet. There is a process that must be undertaken by the homeowner. She has started this process, I am sure. Otherwise, he has only been in the unit for about a month. As I mentioned above, when I say routinely, I am relying on the assumption that what I saw is the type of behavior that grows over time... not a monster that showed up out of the blue.

Would I consider offering help in his more sober moments? Of course. I don't have a problem with that, but I do have a schedule conflict. I work long hours during the day, and when I get home, there are a couple of hours of family time that take priority. Now that I see what is happening, I plan on stopping by to chat with him. But, from talking to other neighbors, I now have learned that another concerned neighbor has attempted this, but he refused to open the door (as he did when I came knocking on his door the other night, and when the police knocked on his door last night).

Re: tattler/brother's keeper comment: I am my brother's keeper. My brothers include my long-time neighbors and friends, family, and this new addition. As I mention above, this guy has not responded to the prior three attempts to interject. Was he incapacitated at each of these moments? I don't know. But from what it looks like, the window of opportunity to grab this guy when he is sober might be *very* narrow, if there is a window at all.

Re: a potential vet. I don't know. If he was, then I greatly respect his service for this country, and if he is suffering from mental trauma or an addiction relating to drugs prescribed for physical trauma, that would be a shame. Regardless of whether or not he is a vet, he needs help. I hope he gets it, and if I can play a role, then good for everyone. In the meantime, I think it would not be safe for him to acquire or handle a weapon. To think otherwise would be absolutely foolish.

Re: kicking to the curb comment... I call hogwash. I'm not making sure he's kicked to the curb. HE is making sure he is kicked to the curb. This is all within his control. No more bad behavior, no more destruction of other people's property, no more unwelcome disruption of other people's lives... and I have not a single problem with him staying my neighbor.

"There's a whole lot you're not telling us here"... yup. There's a lot I don't know. But, what I do know, is that it is my responsibility to alert the authorities to his problems so that they can decide whether or not he should be scratched off the 'ok to buy firearms' list... which may already be the case.

I understand your general concern, but I believe more needs to be found out about his situation, all you saw is one snapshot of his life. Get in touch with his family, let them know what's going on, and you may find that they are incredibly grateful that someone has taken in interest, and not only that they may take over the situation for you. If getting in touch with the family isn't an option, I would walk upstairs and introduce myself and ask, "hey man, tell me, what the heck's going on in your life?"

What you are suggesting is more gun control laws. This seems to counter the belief in your signature. There are already laws against convicted felons and people with a history of severe mental problems.

Now you want laws created to prevent someone owning a firearm just because they are loud & rambunctious and "MAY" do something dangerous?

If we pass laws like this NOBODY will ever be allowed to own firearms; BECAUSE- everybody does have within themselves the propensity to become violent under the right circumstances.

I just don't think we want the slope any more slippery than it already is.

-

Never said a single thing about more laws being needed.

There is ample evidence lately of people that should not have had guns because they were mentally unstable (Aurora, Texas A&M), but had them anyway because that particular message was not shared with the right person/organization at the right time.

We already have laws regarding addicts and guns. I'm merely attempting to make sure the info gets to the right people so they can enforce those laws.

Why? 1) Because I honestly think this guy could be a danger to me, my family, or my friends/neighbors, and 2) because people that 'go postal' with guns is the biggest threat to legal gun ownership.

The slippery slope started when you said that I wanted new laws passed because somebody might do something dangerous.